


Gunsmoke and Spies

by Singerme



Category: Gunsmoke, Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-24
Updated: 2013-07-23
Packaged: 2017-12-21 04:28:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 20,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/895816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Singerme/pseuds/Singerme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I am absolutely captivated by both Scarecrow and Mrs King and Gunsmoke.  Both shows have a strong male/female relationship with strong, valiant, beautiful people.  This is my way of hopefully honoring both shows.</p><p>Lee and Amanda are in Dodge City, Kansas on the hunt for a illegal gun broker, when things take a strange twist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Gunsmoke and Spies**

**Author’s note:** I have said before that I love Gunsmoke.  Tall stoic Matt, with his clear blue eyes and deep voice and beautiful red headed Kitty with her low sultry voice and stubborn temper, are primary with me.  But Scarecrow, with his dimpled smile and hazel eyes and Amanda, with her soft raspy voice and warm brown eyes, have moved in next to Matt and Kitty and I just to had to write at least one story that would marry the two shows together.  I sure hope this works the way it did in my mind. 

One more thing, if you ever get a chance to go to Dodge City, Kansas, I highly recommend a tour of the Boot Hill Museum and the replica of Front Street.  I did that last year and it was wonderful.

Just a reminder:  I don’t own these characters; I just like to spend time with them.  No other profit to be had.

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

“Good morning,” the pleasantly plump woman behind the souvenir covered counter greeted them. “Welcome to the Boot Hill Museum.”

“Good morning.” Amanda put on her most genial smile and glanced over at Lee who was continually scanning the interior of the merchandise dense room. “We’d like two tickets for the museum and the show.”

“Certainly,” the woman smiled at them. “Would you like the dinner as well?”

“Uh, no.” Lee spoke up in his best Texas twang. “Me n’ the little woman here’s got plans for later, if ya know what I mean.”  He turned wickedly mischievous hazel eyes on Amanda in an appraising fashion, making her want to squirm under his intense scrutiny.

“Oh, Ricky Joe,” Amanda, in her best twang gave him a pretend scowl. Turning back to the woman, her smile returned as Lee handed her the money for the tickets. “Thank you, but no dinner.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing.” The woman warned. “We have some of the best cowboy food there is.  Outside of Delmonico’s of course.”  She chuckled a little at her own joke.

Lee’s grin turned wider. “Ah, don’t you worry your little old head about us none.” He leered down at Amanda, who was steadily turning red. “We’ll eat,” he wiggled his brow for effect, “eventually.”

As the woman arched a brow at his remark, Lee grabbed the tickets from the counter and took Amanda’s hand, leading her away towards the beginning of the tour. “Come on, Darlin’.”  He told her.

Amanda said nothing as she followed Lee into the back of the building and down the hall towards the door leading out onto the grounds of the museum and up to what was left of the original Boot Hill Cemetery. She wanted to protest the suggestiveness of his words but she knew it was part of their disguise, not to mention the fact that a large part of her loved it when he looked at her that way, even if it was only pretend.

“Keep a lookout for a bald man with a red rose in his lapel.” Lee told her in a low whisper as he dropped his lips to her neck, sending shivers up and down her spine.

“A… a man… with a… a re… red rose.” She managed as she pulled herself away from her partner. Though it was all just a part of his act, Lee’s romantic attentions were just a touch too distracting for her to be able to concentrate.

Seemingly unaware of her reaction, Lee took her hand and held it tightly as he led her up the hill and towards the few scattered wooden tombstones. “Oh, look, Ricky Joe.” Amanda pointed. “They got a woman planted up here.”

Lee glanced at the tombstone, as he surreptitiously scanned the immediate area. Seeing no one fitting the description of his contact, he turned his attention back to Amanda for a moment. “Mandy, honey.” He grinned. “It wasn’t only men who died back then, you know. I hear Dodge City was a rough town back in the 1870’s.”

“Oh it was,” a man coming to stand beside them, spoke up.

Turning, the undercover couple saw a tall, older man with clear blue eyes standing beside them, his thumbs tucked tightly into his belt and a sad smile on his face. “Back then Dodge was known as the Gomorrah of the Plains. And it earned that reputation honestly. If it wasn’t for the marshal they had back then, I doubt there’d be a museum today for you all to visit.”

“Oh?” Amanda was intrigued despite herself. “He was that good?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” The soft spoken gentleman smiled kindly at her. “He was more than just good. He was the best.”

The manner, in which he spoke of the now, long dead marshal, garnered Lee’s attention as well. Even as he constantly glanced around for their contact, he couldn’t help but be curious about the former Dodge City lawman. “Sounds like you know a lot about this man.” He remarked.

“Yes, Sir, I do.” The gray haired gentleman stuck out a hand and shook Lee’s hand. “My name is Matt Dillon. I was named after my grandfather.”

Something about the name struck a chord with Lee and he crinkled his brow as he tried to remember why. Suddenly it came to him and grin lit his face. “Matt Dillon!” He exclaimed. “He was the Marshal back then. The one you’re talking about.”

“That he was.” The man smiled, happy that his grandfather’s legend was still alive. “I see you’ve heard of him.”

“I’ve more than heard of him,” Lee had to stop himself from gushing like a teenage girl about her first crush. As a lonely boy growing up in one army base after another, he had often turned to books to while away the time.  And one of the books, he had read, was about a man named Matt Dillon.  A tall man who had tamed the frontier town called Dodge City and won the heart of the most beautiful woman of the time, as well. “I’ve read quite a bit about him. I also read about a beautiful red head that he was linked with. She your grandmother?”

The man nodded proudly. “Kitty Russell Dillon. And you’re right about her being beautiful. There was none prettier back then. She had men coming from everywhere, wanting her hand, but the only one she wanted was Grandpa. Only he wasn’t too willing to get married. He thought a family and the law wouldn’t mix so he held off, claiming it was to protect her. That didn’t always hold water of course. Just cause he and Grandma didn’t do anything openly, didn’t mean no one knew about them. More than once Grandma had to deal with spoilers and such who tried to use her to get at Grandpa. Everyone at one time or another told her she should just quit and leave him to it.  Especially after….” 

He paused and Amanda could see a painful memory had crossed his mind before he squared his shoulders and looked away.   “But my grandmother was stubborn, as well as beautiful,” he continued, “and she held on and waited. She ended up waiting twenty years but she finally got him.”

“Twenty years?” Amanda questioned. “She waited twenty years for him?” Silently she asked herself if she was willing to wait that long for Lee.

The older man nodded. “Yeah, she did. She always said that once you found the person that you were meant to be with, you’d never be happy with anyone else.” Looking at the Lee and Amanda his smile broadened. “I guess I don’t have to tell you two that though, do I? Looks like you folks have already found the person you were meant to be with.”

Amanda blushed and dropped her head. Lee cleared his throat and looked away, suddenly uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. Just then he spotted a man with a bald head and a bright crimson rose, in his lapel, passing by them and heading towards the stairs that would take him down into the replica of Front Street and the main part of the museum grounds.

Gripping Amanda’s hand he nodded in that direction. “Well, sir,” Lee grinned back Mr. Dillon, slipping back into his undercover persona. “It sure was nice to talk to ya. But me the little lady here kinda want to look around a bit before he go on to other things. If ya know what I mean.”

“Certainly,” Dillon shook hands with Lee and Amanda both. “It was a pleasure talking with you. And if you ever want to know anything more about my grandparents, look me up.” He pressed a business card into Amanda’s hand before he turned and walked away.

“What a nice man.” Amanda remarked as she watched him walk away.

“Yeah,” Lee agreed. “But if we don’t get a move on we’re gonna miss another nice man that we need to make contact with.”

Amanda nodded as she let Lee lead her towards the stairs. Just as they began to descend, she glanced back to see Dillon watching them with an uncertain expression on his face.

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

Lee held Amanda’s hand tightly as he led her down the boardwalk, following the bald man with the red rose. Sauntering along in front of the storefronts with antiques proudly displayed in the front windows, the man gave no indication that he was anything more than one of the many tourists there that day. But as he fit the description of their contact and no one else around did, Lee continued to follow him.

Slowly making his way down through the many buildings he stopped at several displays, apparently reading the description cards. Despite their mission, Amanda found herself being somewhat drawn into the many exhibitions. Silently she wished the boys were there.  They would love some of the exhibits she was being treated to.  But the boys and her mother were on a camping trip.  They thought she was off scouting locations for a new documentary. 

In one window, was displayed an orange and gold dress with a sort of popcorn looking adornment on the bodice.  A small placard proclaimed it to be the dress of Kitty Russell, the famous saloon owner and later wife of Matt Dillon. Though the cuffs were a bit frayed and the color was a touch faded, Amanda could see that it must’ve been an expensive dress at the time. On the wall next to the dress was a faded black and white picture of a beautiful woman with a beauty mark on her right cheek.  Amanda didn’t need to be told who she was.

Next to that window, was a man’s brocade vest in vibrant colors of red, gold and black. The placard in front of it stated it had belonged to a man called Sam Noonan, reportedly the head bartender at the famous, or infamous, depending on how you looked at it, Long Branch saloon. The vest was large and Amanda got an image of a tall man with perhaps dark hair and a handlebar mustache, polishing the bar and serving cold beer, while the beautiful red headed owner looked on in her orange satin dress.

As the tour continued the bald headed man made a stop at a rack of glassed off rifles and handguns. One of the latter had a small sign beside it stating it had belonged to none other than the famous Matt Dillon, who had been the Marshal there for many years.

In the building next door was a black, high wheeled buggy with a reclining canopy. A small sign, in front of it, named it the vehicle verified to be used by Dodge’s first doctor, and the only doctor for a hundred miles, for 20 years or more, Galen Adams.

Amanda was enjoying the history that she was now passing through and wanted more than anything to see even more but Lee was pulling her along urgently. “He’s moving again,” he whispered.

As the man stepped into the replica of the old Dodge City church, Lee pulled Amanda to a stop and pressed close to her. “Give it a minute.” He whispered. “Let’s make sure no one else goes in.”

Amanda nodded and took the opportunity to give Lee a hug, all in the name of their disguise as a honeymooning couple, who decided to do a tour of the old west.

Lee didn’t object to the hug.  As a matter of fact, he didn’t seem to notice as he intently watched the church. Finally he gave Amanda’s hand a tug. “Come on.”

Casually they meandered down to the church and stepped up onto the small porch and into the equally as small sanctuary. “Guess they didn’t have too many devote Christians back then.” Lee commented when he took in the tiny size of the structure.

“Guess not.” Amanda agreed as she nodded towards the front of the church where a man stood near the cordoned off pulpit, supposedly studying the architecture. “There’s our contact.”

Lee took another glance around them. “Watch the door.” He told Amanda as he walked down the aisle to stand beside the man at the front. “Nice day out.” He remarked without really looking at the stranger next to him.

“It is if you like a chance of rain.” The man replied. “I myself prefer calmer seas.”

Lee nodded. The recognition codes were correct. “What do you have for us?” He turned his head and once again scanned the building.

“I don’t.” The man answered, hazarding a glance in Lee’s direction. “Your contact does. Give him a call when you get back to your hotel room. But be careful. I don’t think they’re onto him, but they know something’s in the wind.”

“My contact?” Lee turned and gave him a blatantly puzzled stare. “I thought you were my contact.”

“Nope.” The man answered. “Just a friend of his. Your partner back there has his number. Give him a call. He’ll explain.”

Lee started to ask another question but he heard Amanda calling him in her fake Texas accent as she hurried down the aisle. “Ricky Joe, I think maybe we ought to go and get us a seat at that little show at the Long Branch, don’t you?”

Lee looked up to see four women and two young girls enter the little church chatting amiably among themselves and viewing the glassed off artifacts near the door. “Yeah, honey, I guess we oughta.” He smiled at her. Glancing back behind him, he saw his contact had disappeared out the side door. Gripping Amanda’s hand, he led her down the narrow aisle and back outside.

“What’d he say?” Amanda asked, as they walked.

“He said he wasn’t the contact. Said we’d already met the man and he had given you a card.” Lee said quietly, constantly watching the people around them. Something was up. He could feel something was wrong but he didn’t know what.

“Me?” Amanda looked confused before it dawned on her. “Matt Dillon.” She whispered as she dug her hands into the pocket of her skirt. “He gave me his card when we were up at the cemetery, remember?” Pulling out the small blue card, she handed it to Lee.

On the front, printed in plain bold lettering was the name _Matt Dillon, US Marshal_. On the back was a phone number and two words. “Be careful.”

“Lee, I don’t understand.” Amanda whispered. “Why didn’t Mr. Dillon just talk to us while we were up at the cemetery? No one else was around.”

Lee shrugged, still swiveling his head around. That feeling of something being wrong was getting stronger. “I don’t know, Amanda.  He probably saw something or someone we didn’t.”  He told her as he suddenly reached for her hand and began to pull her along. “But I do know something’s not right around here.  Come on, let’s go.”

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

Trying not to show his ever growing uneasiness, Lee ushered Amanda back down the boardwalk and towards the front of the museum's main building. Scanning the area, he still saw nothing that warranted worry, but he did still feel it. Clasping Amanda's hand firmly in his own, he led her through the iron gates at the front and out into the parking lot toward their car.

"What's wrong, Lee?" Amanda asked when they arrived at the agency car they'd been given. Lee's silver Corvette had been deemed too flashy and totally out of character for the disguises they had adopted.

Opening the door of the plain brown, four door, Buick sedan, Lee gently took Amanda by the arm and helped her into the car without answering. Once he settled into the driver's seat, he took one more, hard look around and finally spotted what, or at least who, he knew was there all along.

Standing near the gates, he and Amanda had just gone through, was a medium height man with a thick neck and powerfully built arms. His round, olive skinned face had a scar across his right cheek and his black eyes practically bored into Lee's. Pushing a hand through his long midnight colored hair, he watched Lee and Amanda intently as Lee backed out of their parking spot and turned to the right, heading out through the gates.

"Who was that man, Lee?" Amanda had spotted him right off and the mere sight of him had given her chills.

"His name's Armando Saldez." Lee told her. "He's an arms dealer from Mexico. I was afraid he'd be involved in this." Pulling out of the parking lot, Lee looked in his rear view mirror and saw to his dismay; Saldez had climbed into a black two door Chevy and was now pulling out onto the street behind them. "Hang on, Amanda." He told her as he punched the accelerator. "It's going to get bumpy."

Turning to the west onto Front Street, Lee floored the sedan and maneuvered the heavy car around several slower moving vehicles. The smaller Chevy coupe was having little trouble catching them and keeping up.

"Lee, why is that man chasing us?" Amanda was struggling to keep the panic out of her voice as she looked apprehensively behind them at the car that was rapid gaining on them. "I mean, he doesn't know who we are, does he?"

Lee clamped his lips tight for a moment before finally deciding to tell her the truth. "He knows me, Amanda." He answered, swinging wide and to the right on the next curve. "I almost nailed him in a sting operation about five years ago. He's bad news and I can promise you, if he's mixed up in this, then this thing is hotter than we thought."

Taking another wide swing, Lee barreled past a red Ford pickup, startling the blond driver, causing her to swerve dangerously close to the curb. "Lee, watch out." Amanda cried out, only to breathe a sigh of relief when she saw the woman regain control of her truck and get it straightened out.

Lee ignored her protest as well as the horn of the angry blond. He had to get away from Saldez. He knew what the man would do if he caught them. He might take chances with his own life, but not with Amanda's. Sweeping around another curve, he unknowingly passed a state trooper strategically hidden between a large billboard and a large clump of bushes.

As soon as Lee and his pursuer flew by, the trooper pulled out and picked up the chase. Saldez noticed the police cruiser and decided it would be prudent to let the Americans go and find them later. Taking the first road to his left, he pulled off and came to a stop, watching the cops as they closed in on the brown sedan.

Lee saw Saldez pull off just as he saw the trooper behind him. Actually glad for once to see law enforcement, Lee let off of the accelerator and was slowing down when a car pulled out of a side road directly in his path. Lee tried to dodge around it but the Buick didn't respond the way his Corvette would have.

He could little as the Buick went into a swerve, hitting a huge boulder on the side of the road, sending the hapless vehicle into a large oak tree just off the side of the road. The hood of the crumpled remains of the Buick flew back against the shattered window shield protecting the occupants of the car from the burning fluid from the busted radiator as it flew up and back.

The accident happened so fast, Amanda hadn't had time to cry out. Lee had been too busy trying to keep all four wheels on the ground to do more than reach for Amanda when he saw the car was beyond his control. When the sedan came to an abrupt halt against the massive trunk of the oak, Lee and Amanda both were thrown forward and then back in their seats.

Saved by his seatbelt, Lee was in fairly good shape but looking over at Amanda he saw she hadn't faired so well. Her seatbelt had failed and she had been thrown roughly against the window shield cracking her head severely against the glass before being violently whipped back in her seat. "Amanda!" Lee cried out in alarm as he reached across the seat towards her, his heart pounding at the sight of blood on her forehead. "Amanda, you okay?"

"Lee?" Amanda managed, giving him a pained and confused looked before succumbing to the darkness.

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

“How is she, Doc?” Kitty asked as she came in with a platter covered in a checked cloth.

“She’s still out. I won’t know too much until she comes to. But I think she’ll be alright.” Doc answered, hungrily eyeing the tray. “What’d’ya got there?”

Kitty sat the tray on Doc’s old roll top desk and pulled off the covering. “I thought you might like something to eat and to get some rest.”

“Well, I could certainly stand a bite or two,” Doc gave her a grateful smile, “but I can’t rest right now. I need to keep an eye on her. She hit her head awfully hard when she was thrown from that buggy.”

“I know.” Kitty glanced over at the beautiful young brunette currently residing on Doc’s examining table. “But you going without sleep won’t make her any better. Now I’ve already told Sam that I would be up here this evening and that’s that. So you go on and eat and then go in there get some sleep. I’ll sit with her and if she stirs, I’ll come and get you.”

Doc hesitated for a moment longer before wearily nodding his head in agreement. He’d been up all night the previous evening delivering a set of twins and he was exhausted. “By golly, Kitty, I think I’m going to just take you up on that. You sure you don’t mind?’

Kitty patted him on the shoulder. “Of course not, Doc. Now go on. I’ll call you if I need you.”

Taking the tray of sandwiches and coffee, Doc shuffled off into the other room, while Kitty pulled up a chair and sat down next to the injured woman. Pushing back a strand of softly colored brown hair back from the woman’s bruised forehead, Kitty wondered about her and her husband.

Very little was known about them and Mr. Ricky Joe Jackson was being very tightlipped about why they were out in the middle of the prairie or how the accident had happened. But Matt was with him right now and she knew if anyone could get to the truth about everything, it would be Matt.

Down in the jail, Matt didn’t have the confidence in his interrogative abilities as Kitty did. The man calling himself Ricky Joe Jackson was proving to be a tough nut to crack. Every question Matt had put forth to him had been met with either silence or a stiff, “I don’t know.”

“Look, Marshal,” Lee paced around the small jail office. “All I want to do right now is find out how Amanda is. Right now that is all that is important to me.”

“Doc Adams said he’d let us know as soon she came to, Mr. Jackson.” Matt patiently told him for the fifth time in the last hour. “Until then, there is nothing you can do for her. But you can help me out by telling me what happened out there. I don’t believe for a minute that you and your wife were just out for a leisurely drive in the country and just suddenly turned your buggy over.”

Lee glanced over at the tall man, wanting to trust him and tell him everything but he was still not sure. Saldez had proven to be very good at getting to the local lawmen in places he wanted to set up shop.   Lee didn’t want to put his self or Amanda in anymore danger than they were already in. But as he looked yet again at the tall and very patient man sitting behind the desk, Lee suddenly had the feeling that he should go ahead and tell it all to Matt Dillon.

Taking a deep breath, Lee finally ceased his pacing and nodded to the Marshal. “I don’t know why I’m doing this,” he said wearily, “but I need to trust someone. With Amanda hurt, I can’t do what I need to and protect her both.”

“Protect her from what?” Matt asked sitting up straight in his chair and watching the man intently.

“You ever heard of a man called Armando Saldez?” Lee asked.

Matt rubbed his chin for a minute before looking back up at Lee and nodding. “Yeah, yeah I have. You mean to tell me he has something to do with this?”

Lee nodded. “He has everything to do with this Marshal.”

“Have a seat.” Matt pointed to the chair next to the small square table in the middle of the room. “I’ll get you a cup of coffee and I want you to tell me what this is all about.”

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

An incessant buzzing, in her head, woke Amanda from the darkness she had been in. Opening her eyes, she struggled to sit up. But soft hands pushed her back by the shoulders.

“I don’t think you should do that.” A woman’s low and musical voice sounded beside her. Wincing at the sharp pounding in her skull, Amanda turned her head to see a red headed woman, with a beauty mark on her right cheek, sitting beside her. “You need to just lay back there and rest.” The woman told her. “You took quite a crack on your head.”

“Who… who are you?” Amanda asked, trying to focus on the face beside her.

“My name’s Kitty Russell.” The beautiful woman told her. “I’ve been sitting with you while Doc gets some rest. He was afraid to leave you alone.”

“Doc?” Amanda asked studying the pretty woman with her. Something about her seemed awfully familiar. Almost like she knew her from somewhere.

“Doctor Adams,” Kitty responded. “He’s been taking care of you ever since the Marshal and your husband brought you in.”

Amanda knotted her brow in confusion. Her head hurt too bad to concentrate and she couldn’t quite remember what had happened. She remembered sitting beside Lee, frightened of someone or something but who, or what, she had no clue.

Not wanting to say too much until she talked to Lee she looked back over at the kind face of the red headed woman. “Where is L… my husband?” She came close to calling him by his real name but managed to catch herself in time.

“He’s down talking to the Marshal.” Kitty answered. “Don’t worry. He’s alright. Just concerned about you.”

“Can I see him?” Despite Kitty Russell’s kindness Amanda only wanted Lee right then. She needed him to contact her mother and the boys and let them know she was alright. But more importantly she just needed him.

“Tell ya what.” Kitty rose from her chair. “I’ll go get Doc, and while he’s checking you over, I’ll go find your husband and tell him you’re awake. Okay?”

Amanda started to nod but quickly changed her mind when her headache intensified at the action. “Okay, thank you.” She managed.

As Kitty rose and left the room, Amanda looked around at her unfamiliar surroundings and wondered just exactly where and what she and Lee had landed in.  

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

“Hey, Amanda.” Lee smiled at her as he stepped into the room and crossed over to the bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Well, my head hurts.” Amanda answered truthfully. “But I’m alright I guess, or at least I think I will be. But, Lee, what about Mother and the boys? Do they know what happened? You know I need to contact them. They’ll be worried sick if I don’t check in like I promised. And what happened? How did we end up here? I mean I wake up with a headache and that nice woman beside me but you’re nowhere around and…”

Lee smiled at her rambling. She always did that when she was upset. Sitting down beside her, he gently took her hand. “Amanda, calm down, will ya? Look, it’s alright. I sent a wire to your mother telling her that we decided to visit with some friends of mine here and that we’d be delayed for a few days. So don’t worry about your family. And…” he raised a hand forestalling the next question he knew she would have. “Don’t worry about us. We are safe. I’ve just spent a considerable amount of time with the Marshal here and I’m pretty sure he’s a straight shooter. We can trust him.”

Amanda studied his face for a moment before relaxing and nodding her head. She trusted Lee implicitly and if he said they were safe here, then they were. Of course just exactly where ‘here’ was and why she should be worried about their safety, she still wasn’t sure. “Lee,” Amanda glanced around the room again. “Where is here? I mean, I know this is Dodge City, Dr. Adams told me that. But why are we here? What exactly happened?”

Lee sighed. The gray haired Dr. Adams had told Lee that Amanda would be a little confused for a while because she had hit her head so hard and that she might not remember the accident. It looked like the doctor was right. “It was just an accident, Amanda.” He told her, moving his hand to softly caress her face. “We were in a rented buggy out west of here and the horse got spooked and took off. You were thrown when the buggy turned over and you hit your head.”

Amanda searched her faulty memory banks but the last she could remember was walking with Lee down a boardwalk and looking into various storefronts at the merchandise they had to offer. She of course remembered her name and Lee’s and where they came from and that she had a mother and two little boys waiting for her in Virginia.

She remembered her husband was killed in the war and she and Lee had met at the train station when she had gone there to meet her mother, who was coming to live with her. And though she couldn’t remember it clearly, she did have a brief flash of her and Lee standing before a preacher and saying vows. Suddenly she looked up at Lee. “We’re married.” The thought was amazing.

Lee smiled and nodded, as he bent down to place a kiss on her lips. “Yeah, we are. We just got married last week. I’m glad you at least didn’t forget that.”

“Not on your life, Scarecrow.” She murmured as she pulled him back to her for another kiss.

When their lips parted, Lee grinned at her. “You remembered my nickname as well. Things are looking up.”

Amanda started to reply but the door opened and Doc came in. “How’s your head feeling, Young Lady?” He asked as stepped over to the bed.

Amanda grinned at Lee before looking back up at Doc. “It’s alright. It doesn’t hurt nearly as much as it did.”

“Good,” Doc smiled at her. “That’s a good sign, but I still want you to take it easy for a day or two. Rest is about the best thing for you right now.”

“I’ll see to it that she gets it.” Lee told Doc as he caught the look on Amanda’s face. He could tell rest was not what she was hoping for.

“Uh huh,” Doc was fooled by either one. “Well, just to be sure I’m going to give you something to help you sleep and I intend for you to do just that.  Sleep!”

“Oh, no, Sir.” Amanda protested. “I don’t need anything. I’m fine, really.”

“Amanda,” Lee grasped her hand. “If Dr. Adams says you need rest, then don’t argue, okay? For me?”

Amanda dropped her eyes to the worn quilted comforter covering her body and sighed before raising her eyes back to Lee and nodding. “Alright, but stay here with me, huh? Please?”

Lee gave Doc a questioning glance and the old man nodded. “Just make sure sleep is all you two do.” Doc said gruffly.

Laughing, Lee readily agreed. “Yes, Sir.” He answered as he looked over at the deepening blush on Amanda’s face.

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

Kitty had already gone to bed, though not to sleep, when Matt finally made it up to her room for the night. “You’re awful late, Cowboy.” She gently remonstrated.

“Sorry,” Matt dropped his head as he sat down on the side of the bed and took off his boots. “I was just making sure everything was locked up tight around town.”

“Uh huh,” Kitty sat up in bed and lit the lamp on the small table beside her. Looking at the worry lines on Matt’s face, she had an idea of why he took so long. “Those two brought trouble with them, didn’t they?” She asked knowingly.

Matt had learned early in their relationship never to try and hide anything from Kitty, because she could read him too well. With a deep sigh, he nodded as he got to his feet and shucked his clothes. “Yeah, I’m afraid so, Kitty. Believe it or not but those two are federal agents out of Washington. His real name is Lee Stetson not Ricky Joe Jackson.

Kitty looked shocked. “Both of them? You mean they’re not married?”

Matt shook his head with a weary chuckle. “Oh, no, they’re married alright. Just got married last week as a matter of fact. They decided to use their marriage as a sort of cover for their real identities. They’re here trying to find and stop a gun runner named Armando Saldez. He’s been stealing guns from the army and selling them to the Indians. This Stetson thinks Saldez has got an inside contact at the fort helping him.”

Kitty shook her head in wonder. “You mean they’re on their honeymoon and trying to stop a gun runner at the same time?”

Matt nodded. “Yep. Well he is anyway. Although she works for the same branch of the government that he does, she’s more a secretary than an actual agent, but he seems pretty sold on her as a working partner.”

“Well, doesn’t Washington usually contact you about this kind of thing?” She asked a little offended for Matt that he had been kept in the dark on something like this.

“Usually, when it’s an official investigation. But this Stetson is doing this on his own. His superior in Washington, a Mr. Billy Melrose, doesn’t know anything about it. He wouldn’t let him do it if he knew.  So he used his marriage to Amanda as an excuse for the trip and figured he could investigate while he was at it.” Matt shook his head. “I understand wanting to get this Saldez but dragging a wife into it is crazy. Getting married period is crazy, if you ask me.”

“Why?” Kitty asked. His refusal to marry was a bone of contention with her. “You know, not everyone is as against marriage as you are, Matt Dillon.”

Matt took a deep breath. He really didn’t want to get into that this time of night. “Kitty, you know how I feel. I just…”

“I know. I know, Matt.” Kitty stopped him with a wave of her hand. “And it’s obvious I’ve accepted your terms, but that doesn’t mean everyone else has to. If those two love each other, and judging by the way I saw them look at each other, they do. Then I think they should get married. Of course I think their crazy too for doing the work they are.”

“Well I agree with you on that.” Matt finished undressing and settled into the bed beside Kitty and pulled her into his arms. “Life’s hard enough without going out of your way to make it harder by working a risky job like theirs.”

Kitty settled her head on Matt’s shoulder and looked lovingly up into his eyes. “You mean they should have safer jobs like a US Marshal or a saloon owner, huh?”

Matt laughed out loud as he pulled her lips to his and enveloped them passionately. “Yeah, like that.”

The next morning the sun had already climbed fairly high when Kitty woke to an empty bed, as she expected. Pulling Matt’s pillow to her, she inhaled deeply for several minutes savoring the smell of him and the memories it evoked of the previous evening. Finally, however, she put the pillow down and pulled herself from bed.

Federal agent or not, she had a feeling that Amanda wasn’t as adept at survival on the frontier as her husband was and would need some help. Besides, if she knew anything about men, Amanda’s husband and Matt would have their heads together trying to figure a way to stop this Saldez.

Amanda would be alone in a strange place on her honeymoon. Kitty knew she would be a poor substitute for Amanda’s husband but at least she could make her feel a little more comfortable while she was there.

Making her way into her water closet, Kitty made short work of her morning absolutions and quickly got dressed in a simple black skirt and white shirtwaist. Eschewing her usual elaborate hairstyle and makeup, she simply pinned the sides of her hair back and let it hang down in the back and put on the bare minimum of makeup to cover the freckles she hated.

“Sam,” she called her bartender as she made her way downstairs. “I’m going up to Doc’s. I want ya to take care of things here for a while. Okay?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Sam smiled at his pretty employer. There was very little he wouldn’t do for her.

Returning the smile, Kitty left the bar and made her way towards Doc’s office. She never knew she was being watched and had no idea that the life of a saloon owner was about to be a little riskier than usual.

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

“You’re watching that red head awful close, Saldez.” With his thinning, greasy blond hair and placidly long face and dull brown eyes, Cash Hayworth looked as dense as he usually was. But every so often he picked up on things. Like the attention his boss was currently paying to the beautiful saloon owner. “What’s so interesting about her, besides her looks, that is?”

Saldez’ black eyes followed Kitty as she made her way up the stairs to Doc’s office. He refrained from a reply, until she had entered and closed the door behind her. “She is de woman of de Marshal here.” He smiled lazily making his scarred face even uglier, in Hayworth’s opinion. Just as bad as his heavily accented way of talking.

“So?” Hayworth knew about the famous Dodge City lawman, but he wasn’t overly concerned. Dillon knew nothing about them.

“So, I tink it best we keep an eye on Dillon.” Saldez nodded towards the jail, where Matt was just coming out onto the boardwalk. “He don’ know we’re here, but he don’ miss much either. He becomes a problem, we take his woman. He’ll heel like a trained dog, we got her.”

“Aw,” Hayworth scoffed at the idea. “He ain’t gonna be no trouble to us. He don’t even know we’re in town. And even if he did, he’d have no way of knowing what we’re up to. I’m telling you, Saldez, it’s that Stetson we gotta be concerned with. We should’ve just gone ahead and shot him and his missus yesterday instead of just spooking their horse. It’d a taken care of everything.”

Saldez turned and gave his taller partner an irritated frown. “Si, it would take care of getting de attention of dat Marshal. De one you say don’ know nothin’ about us.” He growled.  “Accidents happen, my friend, but murder does not.”

Hayworth dropped his head and nodded. “Guess I didn’t think about it like that. Okay, so we keep an eye on Dillon. But I still think Stetson’s a bigger threat. He ain’t here just cause he likes the scenery. And I don’t buy him marryin’ that brunette. She’s pretty and all but from what I heard, Stetson ain’t the marryin’ kind.”

Saldez shook his head at his partner’s denseness. “Hav’ you seen him look at her?” He was trying to keep his voice and his temper down. “Dat Stetson, he love her like Dillon love dat red head.” Suddenly a thought came to him and an evil grin lit his face. “Dat’s it!” He exclaimed, black eyes sparkling with glee. “I know how to keep both de men off us.”

As before, Cash Hayworth suddenly had a moment of inspiration and he picked up on his boss’ meaning instantly. “We take em’ both.” He returned Saldez’ grin.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Amanda was still asleep when Kitty entered Doc’s office and, no surprise to her, Lee had already left, leaving Amanda in Doc’s care. “How is she doing?” Kitty inclined her head towards the bedroom.

“Ah, she’s just fine, Kitty. I think she should stay in bed a couple more days, but I doubt she’ll do it. She reminds me of a certain red head I know, stubborn.”

Kitty grinned. “Why thank you, Dr. Adams. I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Wasn’t meant to be.” Doc shook his head as he shuffled over to the stove. “Want some coffee?”

“Yeah, I’ll take a cup.” Kitty answered.

“Can I have a cup too?” Amanda asked from the bedroom doorway.

Turning, Doc and Kitty saw that she was up and dressed, her hair neatly brushed and tucked up in a soft bun. “Young lady, what do you think you’re doing?” Doc asked he stepped over and took Amanda’s arm, guiding her to the chair in front of his desk. “I thought I told you to stay in bed.”

“Yes, sir,” Amanda answered, “you did. But I can’t just lay in there. I need to find Lee and see if he’s alright. Oh, Kitty.  That’s a really pretty dress you have on.  I like that orange satin and the top is so pretty and unusual.  Oh, I don’t mean bad unusual.  Just different.  Look, Dr. Adams, I have to find Lee.  I have to know that he’s okay.  I mean if he’s not okay then I wouldn’t be okay and of course if I’m not okay then…”

“Amanda,” Kitty stepped over to her, somewhat amused at how many words she could say in one breath. “Your husband is with Marshal Dillon and they are working on finding Saldez.  Trust me, he is just fine.  And I doubt he would want you worried about him.”

Amanda looked up into Kitty’s blue eyes and saw honesty and kindness and somehow she knew she could trust her. “Alright.” She said softly. “But I’d still like to see him.”

“Your wish is my command.” Lee spoke from the door as he came into the office. “Morning, Amanda. Sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up, but… I…”

“I know, Sweetheart,” she gave him a grateful smile as she rose and rushed into his arms. “I’m just glad you’re here now.”

“Your husband and I were wondering if we could take you ladies to breakfast this morning.” Matt spoke as he came in behind Lee and stopped beside Kitty. “You too, Doc, if ya want to come.” He grudgingly invited.

“Oh, no,” Doc shook his head with a scrub of his mustache as he headed for the door. “I have no desire to sit in on some love fest between you all. Besides, I’ve already had my breakfast and I have some calls to make. Now that you’re here, Mr. Stetson, you can take charge of your wife so I can go see some really sick patients.” Donning his hat and his jacket, he grabbed his bag and left without another word.

Matt and Kitty exchanged conspiratorial grins as Lee and Amanda looked a little confused and worried. “Did we upset him?” She asked worriedly. “We didn’t mean…”

“Oh, don’t worry about, Doc.” Kitty chuckled. “His bark is a lot worse than his bite. He’s not mad.”

“Nope, just perpetually grumpy.” Matt added as Kitty lightly swatted him on the arm. “So what do you ladies say, breakfast sound good?”

“Does to me.” Kitty agreed.

“Me too,” Amanda nodded, taking Lee’s arm. “I think I’m actually hungry.”

As the foursome made their way down the stairs and headed to the restaurant, Saldez and Hayworth stood in the alley quietly watching.

“What’cha think?” Hayworth asked his sullen companion.

“I tink we wait. De lawmen won’ be wit them always. Dey be alone sometime. When dey are, we take them.”

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

After breakfast, Matt and Lee escorted Kitty and Amanda over to the Long Branch then left. They wanted to ride out to the fort and have a talk with the captain in charge out there. Lee was positive that Saldez had a contact at the fort and he was determined to find out who it was. But he was wise enough to know that Matt would get a lot further with the soldiers than he would.

As they rode east, Lee took a long look at the man he was riding with. Tall, powerful, with a full head of wavy brown hair, graying just slightly, steely blue eyes and square chin, he certainly fit the physical image of the iconic lawmen of the west. And after spending a considerable amount of time the previous evening, as well as that morning, talking to him, Lee had no doubts of his honesty or bravery.

But he was still amazed at the man on some levels. Though Matt Dillon was a US Marshal working for the Federal government officially, he was still for the most part a small town lawman. In Lee's experience those men, tied to towns like Dodge, usually didn't stick their necks out for anyone, even another lawman.

And when he thought about the woman, Kitty Russell, and the relationship, he was sure, Dillon had with her; he just couldn't figure the man out. Most men would've married her long ago for fear he'd lose her to someone with more to offer. But obviously she had chosen to accept the man and his ways, as she didn't show any signs of leaving.

"Whatever it is you want to know, you might as well go ahead and ask." Matt turned appraising blue eyes on his younger fellow law man.

"What makes you think, I have any questions of you?" Lee shot back; a little amazed that Dillon could read him so well.

"You've been watching me ever since we rode out of town." Matt answered. "I'm not that interesting to look at, so you must have questions."

Lee shook his head, and pushed his hat back off of his forehead. "Yeah, well, I guess I was kinda wondering about you." He admitted. "You're certainly not like other small town law men I've met. I mean why are you so willing to believe me and help me, when my own boss wouldn't? Up until yesterday, you didn't even know I existed."

Matt nodded. "To survive as a lawman out here, you have to develop a sort of sense about people. You get to where you can tell if someone's lying or not and whether or not they can be trusted. I believe you and your story. Now it's my job to keep the peace out here. Part of keeping the peace is keeping illegal guns out of the Indian's hands."

Lee nodded, impressed by the forthright man beside him. "What about Miss Russell?" Lee asked, watching the color creep up the Marshal's neck and into his face.

"What about her?" Matt returned, careful to keep his voice and expression neutral.

"It's obvious you care about her, Marshal. And she cares about you too. She cares a great deal about you." Lee said succinctly. "I'm not the most astute man when it comes to that kind of thing, but I can see that much at least."

Matt said nothing. He never did when confronted with his relationship with Kitty. He often found silence was the best answer.

But Lee wasn't going to accept silence. "You're risking your life to help me, Marshal." Lee pointed out. "But in so doing, you're risking hers as well. You get killed helping me, where does that leave her?"

Matt took a wary glance at the younger man beside him, considering his words carefully before answering. "That leaves her where she is right now. There's no risk to her as long as she's not connected to me. Besides, a lawman leads a dangerous life. I could get killed any day. I won't leave a wife and family behind to grieve for me."

Lee looked at him in amazement. "Surely you don't really believe that. Matt, if a total stranger like me can see your connection to her, anybody else can as well, married or not. And even if you're right, and it kept her safe, she'd still grieve for you. She'd feel no different than Amanda would if I died. She loves you."

Matt shook his head. "I know very well how Kitty feels about me." Matt said starchily, not wanting to discuss but drawn into it nevertheless. "But it wouldn't be fair to her. I spend a lot of time out of town chasing down criminals or taking prisoners here and there. And I've been shot or wounded in some way so many times it's not even funny. I couldn't ask her to share that kind of life."

"Isn't she already?" Lee asked. Studying Matt closely, he saw a flicker of emotion cross the stoic marshal's face before he shut it off and regained his bland expression.

"We should only be talking about her and everyone else's safety." Matt said, weary of the conversation. "And the best way to keep everyone in Dodge safe is to find this Saldez and stop him."

Lee nodded without reply. He had read enough in the big man's expression to know he had hit his mark and that it made the Marshal uncomfortable to think about it. That made him to think about Amanda. He had felt that way once. But he had come to his senses. He wished the same for Matt Dillon.

Back in Dodge, Kitty and Amanda had made their way upstairs, after Kitty had introduced her to Sam and gave her a small of tour of the Long Branch. They were now enjoying a cup of tea and conversation.

Amanda was amazed at all that Kitty had accomplished on her own, without benefit of husband or family. Looking around the rather opulent room then back her at hostess, she was struck by what it must've taken for the former saloon girl to get where she was.

"Kitty, I must say, I am really impressed by you." Amanda smiled warmly. "I'm not sure I could do half as much as you have with twice as much. I mean, my husband left me a modest home and my mother moved in with me to help me with my boys and there were still sometimes, I wondered if I'd survive. But you didn't have anyone or anything at all."

Kitty smiled rather sadly as she shook her head. "Oh, I may not have had relatives or a husband," Kitty told her. "But I did have a certain amount of support here in Dodge and people that are just like my family. Besides, I really didn't have any other choice. An unmarried woman has to make a living somehow."

"What about the Marshal?" Amanda asked watching Kitty intently.

Kitty bit her bottom lip as she rose from her chair, crossing over to the credenza. "Would you like some?" She held out a bottle of brandy.

Amanda shook her head, her eyes never leaving Kitty's as she waited for an answer.

Kitty shrugged and poured a small amount of the liquor into a glass. Taking a drink, she finally met Amanda's gaze. "Matt is, and always has been, my best friend." Kitty stated truthfully. "He's always been one of those people here in Dodge that supported me the most."

"He that family, you spoke about?" Amanda saw the love reflected in Kitty's eyes as she thought about the big man.

Kitty nodded. "Yes, he and Doc and Sam and Festus and Newly. They all are, really. There have been some times that I'm not sure I would've made it had it not been for them."

"Festus and Newly?" Amanda's voice betrayed the amusement she found in the sound of their names.

Kitty's smile broadened thinking of them. "Their friends of mine and they sometimes work as Matt's deputies." She explained. "I know their names are a little different but then so are they in a way. They're good men though. They've literally saved my life before."

"Really?" Amanda found that she was fascinated by Kitty Russell and the life she lived. As well as the men that surrounded her. "How?"

Kitty started to answer, but changed her mind. Some of those memories were a little too hard to think about. "I'd rather not discuss all that, Amanda, if you don't mind. It's all in the past and doesn't matter anyway."

"I understand." Amanda could literally see the pain that crossed Kitty's face as she obviously remembered something very troubling. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Kitty gave her a warm smile. "Forget about it." She put her tea cup down and rose, stepping over to her dresser, where she'd laid her reticule. "Look, it's a pretty day outside. What you say, we do a little window shopping around town and then get a bite to eat over at Delmonico's? If we're lucky the special will be something besides catfish stew."

Amanda nodded and rose from her seat, following Kitty to the exit. But just before Kitty opened the door, she placed a hand on Kitty's arm. "You must love him an awful lot to stay here, knowing your relationship with him could get you hurt."

It crossed Kitty's mind to ask Amanda how she could know that, but seeing the look in the younger woman's eyes, she realized, Amanda knew because Amanda felt the same away about Lee and may have even endured some hurt herself. Biting her lower lip once more, Kitty nodded with a sigh. "I do." She said before turning back to the door. "I always will."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Gunsmoke and Spies Part 2**

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

As Kitty and Amanda made their way through the town, they were unaware of the two silent strangers who watched their every move as they followed them about. Accustomed as she was, to garnering a fair amount of male attention, Kitty, at first, brushed off the stare of the black haired man across the street, when she spotted his reflection in the window of Mr. Jonas’ store.

But when she saw him again through the window of the hat shop and still yet again through the dress shop window, she knew something was amiss. After paying for her purchases, Kitty grabbed Amanda’s arm just as she was about to walk out the door. “Un huh.” She shook her head. “There’s a man across the street that’s been following us for a while. I think it might not be a bad idea to go out the back way.”

Amanda l0oked at her questionably before looking out through the window and across the street. Her blood ran cold when she saw the swarthy looking man casually leaning against a post, his hat brim pulled low. Though she’d never seen him in person, Amanda knew what Armando Saldez looked like, from various descriptions Lee had garnered, and she was positive that was the man in the flesh. “I think you might be right.” She said in a small voice.

“Patricia,” Kitty turned to the dress shop owner. “You don’t mind if we use the back door do you?”

Patricia shook her head. “No, not at all. But don’t you think it’d be safer if you were to stay here and let me go and get Matt?”

Kitty shook her head. “Matt’s out at Fort Dodge with her husband,” she nodded her head at Amanda. “And I don’t know where Newly and Festus are but they’re not at Newly’s shop or the jail, cause we passed by there before we came here. Besides, as long as he stays where he’s at, he won’t have any idea that we’ve gone till we’ve already reached the Long Branch.”

Patricia took a look at the man across the street, then back at Kitty. “Guess you’re right. But you two be careful. And if I see Newly or Festus come past here, I’ll tell them about him.”

“Thanks, Patricia.” Kitty smiled gratefully. Taking Amanda’s hand, Kitty led the way through the shop and to the back exit. Cautiously, she opened the door and peered both ways down the alley. The alley was clear of everything but a couple of crates down near the middle of the alley.

“I don’t see anything,” Amanda said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I don’t either,” Kitty agreed, “let’s go.” Leading the way, she stepped out in the passageway and started down towards the crates. Though she hadn’t seen anyone with the man out front, she thought it best to be careful and keeping Amanda behind her, she gave the crates a wide berth as they came abreast of them. But once there she felt slightly foolish as it was obvious the crates were empty.

Giving Kitty a relieved grin, Amanda stepped past her and boldly started further down towards the end of the alley. She and Kitty as well, had failed to see the recessed doorway until it was too late. Just as Amanda crossed in front of it, a hand reached out, pulling her into a man’s arms.

Amanda started to scream but a gun was pressed urgently against her temple. “I wouldn’t, were I you.” A nasally male voice said.

Kitty saw what was happening and started forward to help her friend when another set of arms wrapped themselves around her waist. “I kill you, you make noise.” The voice was low, guttural and Spanish sounding. Saldez had her, she was certain of it.

“What do you want with us?” Kitty asked, struggling to keep her panic under control. She’d been in this type of situation too many times before in the last twenty years and she wasn’t sure she had the strength to go through it again.

“Yer men.” Her captor spoke quietly, menacingly. “Dey been messin’ in my business. Dey stop, I have you. No?” His laughter was short, dark and grated like sandpaper on her nerves.

“NO!” Kitty growled, jabbing an elbow into the horrid man’s ribs in a desperate effort to free herself. But it was not to be. Saldez, ignoring the sharp jab to his middle section, swung her around towards him and punched her as hard as he could. Kitty went down without another sound.

 “Oh my gosh!”  Amanda cried in alarm and fear.  “Kitty!  You hurt her.  You can’t hurt her I mean you can hurt her obviously but you shouldn’t hurt her.  Let us go.” She increased her struggle and even managed a well aimed kick on an undefended shin.  But the man would not let go.

“Ya best shut up, ya don’t want the same.” The man that held her growled in her ear as he twisted her arm behind her.

Amanda swallowed hard and nodded, silent for once, as she watched Saldez pick Kitty up and throw her across his shoulder effortlessly. “Les go.” He said as he led the way down the alley.

Inside the dress shop, Patricia had watched the man as he leaned against the post, moving not a muscle. Positive he would most likely stay there, she turned her attention to a customer who’d just entered her shop and failed to the see the man suddenly quit his place across the street and leave.

She also failed to see Festus, when he ambled by a few minutes later. It wasn’t until much later that afternoon, when she happened to see Newly, in the general store, that she thought about the odd occurrence of earlier. She started to let it go, assuming Kitty and her friend had made it back safely, but it nagged at her. “Newly?” She stopped him before he could leave.

“Yes, Ma’am?” Newly stopped and turned back to the dress shop owner.

“Have you seen Kitty and her friend this afternoon?” She asked.

“No, Ma’am, Miss Patricia.” He shook his head. “Why? Is there a problem?”

“Well, I’m not sure.” Patricia hesitated. “Maybe not, but then… well, she and another woman were in my shop today and they saw some man across the street that worried them. Kitty refused to go out the front, thinking he might be following them, so she took her friend and went out the back way. I was just wondering if you knew whether or not she and her friend made it back to the Long Branch.”

Newly swallowed hard at the news. The marshal had told him a little about Saldez and the possibility that he might try something in Dodge and asked him to keep an eye out as he went about the town. “Miss Patricia, do you know what that man looked like?”

“Well, I didn’t get too good a look at his face…” Patricia paused as she tried to remember. “I do know he wasn’t overly tall and had black hair and was kind of dirty looking. I’m sorry, I know that’s not much but I only saw from across the street and only for a moment or two.”

Just as she spoke, Newly saw Matt and Lee ride past on their way back from the fort. “Thank you, Miss Patricia.” He told her. “I’ll check on Miss Kitty.”

Deciding against heading straight for the Long Branch, Newly instead ran the street towards the jail. The feeling in the pit of his stomach told him Miss Kitty and her friend were in trouble.

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

Kitty came to on a hard lumpy cot, Amanda sitting beside her. "Oh, Kitty, thank God. I was so worried."

"Where are we?" Kitty asked trying to sit up, despite a headache that threatened to take her back down. She looked around but it was dark and the one small candle in the room did little to expel the darkness.

Amanda helped her up but shrugged. "I'm not sure, really. As soon as they got us to their horses, they put a blindfold on me. They wouldn't let me take it off until we were shoved in here."

Kitty watched the younger woman's face closely. "Amanda, they didn't…?" She wasn't sure how to ask the question.

Amanda gave her a confused look while she scratched the small rash on her arm. Her allergy to horses had been activated when she had been forced to ride in front of the horrible man that had grabbed her.

"Amanda," Kitty was worried about the younger woman. Kitty had been kidnapped like this before and she knew firsthand what vile men, like Saldez and his buddy, could do to a defenseless woman. "They didn't… hurt… you, did they?"

Amanda got her meaning and shook her head. "Oh! No, no" she gave Kitty a tremulous smile. "They didn't. They… they didn't touch either of us, but Kitty…" she struggled to keep from crying. "They said they were going to hurt Lee and the Marshal. They plan on using us to get to them."

Kitty took a deep breath. The situation, though not a new one to the veteran 'Lawman's Woman', was nevertheless one made more difficult by the younger woman with her. She wondered if Amanda had ever been in a situation like this before. "Well," she sighed. "I've been in tougher spots, I guess. But I sure was hoping I wouldn't end up in another one."

Amanda looked stricken. "You… you've been kidnapped before?"

Kitty nodded. "More than once." She said. "The last time… it… well, it almost killed me. Literally."

Amanda heard the pain in Kitty's voice and saw her shoulder's droop as the memory of an obviously hurtful time assailed her. "I… I'm sorry." Amanda said sincerely.

Kitty took another deep breath and shook her head. "Don't be. It happened a couple of years ago and it's in the past. What we need to be concerned with, is the present. And at present, we need to find a way out of here."

Getting to her feet, Kitty walked around the perimeter of their tight quarters, realizing they were actually in a small shed with one window on the wall opposite the cot. Looking out the window, she could see little by the dim light of the half moon. "Sure wish I knew where we were." She said wistfully.

"Well, I don't know _exactly_ where we are," Amanda spoke up. "But I know we're about three hours west of town."

Kitty looked at her curiously. "I thought you said you were blindfolded."

"I was." Amanda shrugged. "But I kinda kept track of the time while we were riding and then just before that man shut the door, I saw which side the sun was on as it was going down and the tracks of the horses coming in from the opposite direction."

Kitty smiled at her friend. "That's pretty good thinking." She complimented. "Now let's see. Three hours west of Dodge… Hmm…" Running the information through her mind she suddenly knew where they were. "Enoch Miller's old place." She exclaimed.

"Huh?" Amanda asked crinkling her brow.

"That's where we are." Kitty told her. "It's an old ranch. The owner died some time back and the bank took it over. I don't think anyone ever bought it. So there's no maintenance on any of the buildings. Maybe we can find a weak spot in these walls."

"There aren't any," Amanda said dispiritedly. "I checked while you were unconscious. It'd take a sledge hammer to get through those walls."

Kitty started to say something, when voices were heard outside. "Cash, you keep eye on dem women." Saldez told his partner.

"They ain't goin' nowheres. That sheds solid." Cash Hayworth's nasally voice whined in protest. "Sides, I'm tired. We gotta get up early we gonna be at Benson's Crossing at ten to meet Logan."

"Jew gotta get up early." Saldez's voice held a touch of mirth. "Me, I go to town and get drunk, heh?"

"Ah, now, wait a minute, Armando!" It was apparent Hayworth wasn't too fond of the idea of being left behind. "I ain't had me no drink for some time. It ain't fair, I gotta stay here and babysit and get up early to boot."

"Cash, my friend." Saldez was chuckling. "Dem's the breaks."

Kitty looked over at Amanda as they listened to the sound of a horse galloping away. Neither one had to speak to know what the other one was thinking. Both of them began looking about the room for anything they could use as a weapon.

Lifting up the small mattress on the cot, Kitty found it. Three narrow boards were stretched across the frame to hold the thin mattress in place and were easily lifted out. Kitty picked one up and gripped it with both hands. Moving swiftly behind the door, she motioned to Amanda, who doused the candle and then immediately began yelling at the top of her lungs as she picked up another one of the slats.

Footsteps were heard, then Hayworth's angry growl. "Shut up in there, lessin' ya want me to give ya somethin' to really yell about."

"Kitty's dead!" Amanda cried out in her best most pitiful tone. "I can't wake her up. You've killed her."

Several seconds went by and neither woman dared to breathe until at last they heard a key being inserted into a lock and the door swung open.

Hayworth took a tentative step into the darkened interior, his gun in his hand and pointed straight in front of him. "Light that there candle, I left fer ya." He demanded.

"I can't." Amanda told him, putting a tremble in her voice. "I… I'm afraid."

"Dad blasted woman." Hayworth grumbled as he took another couple of steps in.

Kitty held her breath and waited until he was completely in the room before raising the wooden slat over her head and bringing it down soundly across his broad back. He stumbled forward but he didn't fall. Raising the makeshift bat again, she then brought it down across his skull and he finally succumbed, falling face forward into the little room.

"Go, Amanda." Kitty yelled as she bent over the man to grab his gun. But Amanda stayed put, slat still at the ready. She wasn't about to leave until Kitty was beside her.

Kitty cautiously knelt down and pushed against Hayworth. He didn't move. Taking a deep breath, she reached for the gun he still held in his hand. But just as she grabbed for the barrel, Hayworth rose and grabbed her arm, grappling with her for control of the weapon.

Amanda, seeing what was happening, raised her piece of wood and brought it down sharply across Hayworth's forehead and then again, catching him across his shoulder and his neck. Hayworth's grip of Kitty's arm lessened and then he completely let go as Amanda hit him one more time.

Breathing a sigh of relief she stepped back and dropped the club she had in her hand, just before the gun went off.

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

Matt and Lee rode back into town, tired, frustrated and more than a little angry. They had spent several hours out at the fort and had gotten exactly nowhere. They did manage to catch the supply sergeant, Abe Logan, in a couple of small lies, but nothing that would conclusively prove that he was involved with Saldez in his illegal gun running business.

"Tell ya what, Matt." Lee said as they neared the jail. "I'm gonna go check on Amanda and I'll meet up with ya later."

"Alright," Matt nodded. Reining in at the hitch rail, he was just about to dismount when Newly came running up.

"Marshal." Newly was practically out of breath.

Matt heard a note of alarm in the young man's voice and gave him his complete attention. "What's wrong, Newly?"

Newly shook his head slightly. "I'm not sure anything is, Marshal." He confessed. "But I just talked to Miss Patricia over at the dress shop. She said Miss Kitty and Mrs. Stetson were in there earlier and were concerned about some man who was apparently watching them. She said they went out the back door and when she looked up next, he was gone. I was just about to head over to the Long Branch to check on them when I saw you all ride in."

With not a word between them, Lee and Matt turned their horses and raced down to the Long Branch. Neither woman was there and hadn't been since that morning. "Newly, go find Festus, will ya?" Matt growled.

"Yes, Sir," Newly said as he took off.

Lee gave him an irritated look. "We don't need a posse, Matt. We need to find my Amanda. I'll bet you anything, Saldez took her. Her and your woman too."

"I don't want a posse, either, Lee." Matt raised a hand in appeasement. "But Festus is the best there is at tracking. If there's anyone who can find tracks leading to Kitty and your Amanda, Festus can."

"Alright," Lee ran his hand raggedly through his hair. "Guess you're right. I just hope he's quick."

"I am." Festus answered, walking towards them. "I were just down the street, when ya'll come in, Matthew. Newly's gone to fetch my mule. I'm gonna check out back the dress shop, see what I kin find."

Matt nodded. "We'll meet ya back there. We're gonna stop by the jail and pick up a couple of rifles and cartridges."

"See ya directly, Matthew." Festus wasted no time in heading towards the alley.

Lee watched the scruffy hill man walk away with a semi-amused expression. "That the best you got?"

Matt nodded. "He's the best there is. Like I said, if there's a track to follow, he'll find it."

"Yeah," Lee answered unconvinced. "Guess we'd better get those rifles."

Matt said nothing as Lee walked off. He understood the man's worry. He shared it. If anything happened to Kitty…. He stopped his thoughts and trudged on over to the jail. He refused to consider that thought. It was too painful to think about.

Two hours later, Matt, Lee and Festus were riding west across the vast prairie. Although for the life of him, Lee could see nothing in the near dark of the late evening. But Festus seemed to. Several times he stopped and searched the ground, nodded to himself and then climbed back onto his mule.

A short time later he reined in and turned to look at Matt. "Matthew, they's at Enoch Miller's old place, I garontee it. They ain't no tuther place they coulda gone."

Matt nodded. "Yeah, I think you're right, Festus."

"Well, if you know where they're at, then lets go." Lee urged when he noticed that neither Matt or Festus were moving forward.

"We will," Matt spoke calmly despite the ice water running through his veins at the thought of what the women could be going through. "But we need to be careful from here on. There's only a couple of ways to go in out there without being seen. If Kitty and Amanda are out there and we're seen coming in, they could get hurt. Bad."

Lee clenched his jaw in anger. He knew Dillon and this Festus character knew more about this area then he ever would and he was certain that Dillon wanted the women safe and out of there as much as he did. But he wasn't used to sitting back and waiting. And he couldn't bear the thought of his Amanda being in danger. Not if he could get her out of it.

"But it's already dark," Lee protested. "They wouldn't be able to see us."

"Maybe, maybe not." Matt said evenly. "We don't know how many men Saldez may have working with him or where they might be on that ranch. Do you want to get those women killed by charging in there like a bull?"

Taking a deep breath, he slowly shook his head. "Alright, then what we do? And don't say nothing. I am not going to sit by and let anything happen to them."

"I'm not either." Matt assured him. "But I like said, we have to be careful. Now there's a draw on the south side of that ranch that should be fairly dry this time of year. We'll have to go a little out of our way, but we can go right up that draw and get almost to the house without being seen."

"Alright, but then what?" Lee asked.

"We'll know when we get there." Matt answered. "Come on."

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

“Kitty,” Amanda called her for the fourth time but so far, Kitty hadn’t responded and Amanda, hands tied behind her, couldn’t reach her to see if she was okay or not. “Oh my gosh, Kitty, please wake up.”

“Ummm,” Kitty moaned, finally coming to. “Oh, heavens. What happened?”

“That man shot you.” Amanda answered with near panic. “He was pretending to be out but he wasn’t out and when I threw down the slat of wood I had, he pulled the gun from your hand and fired. You were hit, but I don’t know how bad and he wouldn’t let me check on you. He tied me up and locked us back in here and I’ve calling you but you didn’t answer.”

Kitty winced at the pain in her shoulder, but struggled to keep her voice calm in contrast to the fear she heard in Amanda’s. “Well, don’t worry.” She said as she forced her self to a sitting position, stifling the groan that wanted to escape her lips. “I’m not dead and he didn’t tie me up, so I can at least untie you and we can try again to get out of here.”

“But you were shot.” Amanda protested. “You’re hurt.”

“Yeah, but I’m not dead.” Kitty gritted her teeth as she crawled in the near total darkness over to where Amanda was sitting against the wall of the shed. Her shoulder was aching more than she would admit and her left arm was nearly useless, but she would not allow herself to quit. She and Amanda had to get out of there. “Do you know where he is, or the other one?” She asked as she reached behind Amanda with her good arm and began to untie her.

“Not exactly,” Amanda answered wriggling her arms as the rope finally gave way. Pushing herself away from the wall, she gently grasped Kitty by the waist and helped her to sit  fully on the floor. Hayworth had taken the cot out of the room, along with the wooden slats. “When that man locked us up in here, he left. But I heard him saying something about finding Saldez and then I heard someone riding off. I haven’t heard anything else since.”

Kitty took several deep breaths as the pain in her shoulder flared. “Alright.” She said finally. “That’s good.” Her breath was coming in gasps and she could feel the edge of unconsciousness trying to claim her. “That means we have a little time to figure something out.” She said, weakly trying to get up again.

“Kitty, I don’t think that’s a good idea, it’s not a good idea, you really shouldn’t try to move, it’s not a good idea at all.” Amanda couldn’t seem to stop herself from rambling as she placed her arm around Kitty and pushed her back against the wall. “Please, just sit there. Please? Just sit, sit, please just sit.”

Kitty realized Amanda was right. Even could she gain her feet, she’d not be able to go far. “Alright.” Kitty nodded. “I’ll just sit back here for a little while. Just a little… while…” Slowly her head rolled to the right and the darkness claimed her again.

Though Amanda could see little more than Kitty’s outline in the dark, she knew she’d lost consciousness again. “Oh my gosh.” She exclaimed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Though it chafed him to take so much time in getting there, Lee kept his mouth clamped tight and temper in tight control as they seemingly took their time in going the rest of the way to the ranch. When Matt silently pulled to a stop, Lee followed his lead and dismounted, following the tall lawman and the scruffy deputy down a deep draw.

Holding his hand up to stop them, Matt drew his gun and cautiously peered over the edge of the draw onto the ranch grounds. Nothing stirred and there were no lights coming from any of the three visible buildings. “Let’s go.” Matt whispered to his two companions.

Climbing out of the draw, they crept quietly into the yard, taking advantage of any cover they could find. Tapping Festus on the arm, Matt pointed to the house and nodded. Festus moved off to the left and then around to the back. Matt turned to Lee pointed to the right. Lee nodded his understanding.

Counting to three, both men jumped up and ran to the front of the house. Pausing only briefly at the door, they both brought their guns up, as they reached for the knob, prepared to enter. But the door opened on them and Festus appeared.

“They ain’t here, Matthew.” Festus told him. “I ckd that there barn and ain’t no horses nowhere and nobodies in the house or no where’s else.”

“What do you mean, they’re not here?” Lee’s voice rose in anger. “You said this was the only place they could be. Now, dammit, where is my wife.”

“I’m here!” A frightened raspy voice suddenly called out. “Lee! We’re in here. We’re locked in.” Amanda had heard Lee’s voice and could only think of one thing. He was there and she and Kitty would now be safe.

Lee turned towards the sound and saw a small nearby shed with a shiny lock on the door. He and Matt ran over and Lee rammed the door with his shoulder to get it open. But it wouldn’t budge.

Stepping back, he pulled his gun to shoot off the lock but Matt grabbed his arm pulled him back.   “You might hit one of them.”  Matt shook his head.

With little effort, Matt raised his leg and kicked the door as hard as he could. With a resounding crash, the door flew open to reveal Amanda on the floor of the shed cradling Kitty in her arms to protect her. “Kitty!” He rushed in and reached for her.

“She’s been shot, Marshal.” Amanda was close to crying. “I don’t know how bad. I pulled off some of her petticoat and tried to bandage her as best I could but it’s too dark.” Amanda trembled as Lee wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. “She needs help, Lee.” She cried.

“I know,” he crooned into her ear. “I know. But it’s gonna be alright now. We’ll get her back to town. Are you alright? You weren’t hurt?” Amanda shook her head but Lee knew he’d not be satisfied of that until they got back to town.

Matt crouched down by Kitty and pulled her into his arms. She was unconscious but she was still breathing. Gingerly picking her up, he stood and swiftly carried her out. “Let’s get back to town.” He said stonily as he looked down at Kitty, his heart pounding furiously at the sight of her once again hurt.

Handing her, only temporarily, to Festus so that he could get mounted, Matt pulled her back into his arms and turned, heading quickly for Dodge. Without a word Lee mounted and pulled Amanda onto his horse in front of him. Festus followed suit and soon they were all racing across the prairie back to Dodge.

**Author’s Note: I have referenced events from a Gunsmoke episode called “Hostage” on this chapter.  Air date Dec. 11, 1972.**

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

Three hours later, found Matt and Lee pacing restlessly in Doc’s outer office waiting on word of Kitty. Festus had agreed to take Matt’s rounds for him and had already left. Doc, with Amanda’s help, worked on Kitty in the other room. Matt wanted to be in the room with her, but Doc refused, stating Matt could do nothing more than get in his way.

Neither man spoke but the look on both their faces was the same. As soon as they knew how Kitty was, they were going after Saldez and Hayworth and they were going to take them down. One way or the other.

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, Matt had just turned back from the stove when the door opened and Amanda slipped through, going instantly into Lee’s arms. “She’s going to be alright,” she gave Matt a relieved smile. “Doc said she’d be okay.”

Matt put his cup on the desk and rushed into the room. Doc had just pulled a sheet up over Kitty and was taking his stethoscope off, when Matt stepped in. “Doc?” He questioned, his eyes going to the pale but beautiful women in the bed.

“Come on in, Matt.” Doc motioned. “She’s awake.”

“Kitty!” He practically fell over his own feet trying to reach her side. “How are you feeling?” He took her hand, holding tightly.

“I’m alright, Matt.” She smiled up at him. “Honest, I’m okay.”

Matt looked up at Doc for confirmation and got it via a curt nod of his head.

“She will be, at least.” Doc told him. “But she’s going to be spending a considerable amount of time in bed for the next few days.” He gave her a stern look in warning. “You understand me, young lady?”

“Yes, sir,” Kitty stifled a grin, knowing as well as he did that she would get up when she wanted to, not when he wanted her to. Looking back at the concerned eyes of the big man beside her, she smiled and gave a gentle tug of his hand. “I am okay, Matt.” She reassured him.

Matt nodded with a duck of his head. “I know.” He told her. “But it could’ve been a lot worse, Kitty. You could’ve been killed. You could’ve…”

“Matt,” she stopped him. “I wasn’t though. Please, Matt. Please don’t do this.”

“Do what?” His brow knotted.

“You know what.” Kitty sighed. “The same thing you did after…” She stopped, not wanting to say the name of the man who had kidnapped, raped, beat and tortured her then brought her home and shot her down in the street in front of the Long Branch.

If not for Doc’s abilities as a physician and a praying man, as well as the love she had seen in Matt’s eyes, the night she lay near death, she wouldn’t be there right then. Matt’s reaction had been swift and violent. As soon as Doc told him she had a fair of chance of living, he had taken off his badge and rode after the man named Jude Bonner. Intent on killing him, outside the law, or in, made no difference to him.

Festus and Newly, as well as a good portion of the town, had ridden after Matt and only with Festus’ interference did Matt step back at the last minute before crushing the man’s skull with a rock.

Kitty didn’t want him going off like that again. She didn’t need him to avenge her. She just needed him, beside her, whole and healthy. But looking into his eyes, clouded with anger, she knew she’d not be able to stop him. “Promise me, you won’t get yourself killed.” She finally said, softly and sadly. “I want you back.”

Matt nodded and bent down, placing a tender kiss on her soft lips. “I will do that.” He murmured, kissing her again. “I promise you, I will do that.”

In the other room, Lee and Amanda were still wrapped in each other’s arms as Amanda told Lee everything that happened. And of what she had overheard Hayworth say to Saldez. “All I know is that he said they were meeting someone by the name of Logan at Benson’s Crossing at 10 am.” Amanda told him. “They didn’t say anything else, Lee.”

Matt had stepped into the room at that moment and nodded. “I knew Logan was involved in this. And Benson’s Crossing would be a good spot for something like that. Lots of rocks around there, easy place to hide out.”

“How long do you think it’d take us to get there?” Lee asked Matt.

“We leave now, we can get there a little early and be ready for them.” Matt answered.

“Then what are we waiting for?” Lee pulled away from Amanda and reached for his hat that he’d thrown on Doc’s desk.”

“I’m going with you.” Amanda stated determinedly.

“Oh, no, you’re not.” Lee voice held the same determination. “You are going to stay here, Amanda. Those men are dangerous. It was only by sheer luck you weren’t shot as well. I don’t want you anywhere near them again. Do you hear me? You’re staying here.”

“But, Lee…” Amanda tried.

“No, Amanda. Now that’s final. You stay here.” Lee told her sternly, letting her know he would brook no protest or argument. Turning to Matt, he plopped his hat on his head and started for the door. “Let’s ride.”

As Matt and Lee descended the stairs, Amanda silently fumed. She hated being told to stay behind. She knew Lee cared about her and was only concerned with her safety, but too often he acted as though she didn’t have a brain in her head or a clue as to how to take care of herself. Glancing at the closed bedroom door, she made a decision.

Hitching up her voluminous skirts, she waited a beat and then stepped outside onto the stoop. Matt and Lee were just headed down the street. Swiftly, Amanda descended the stairs and looked about her, trying to figure a way to follow. The way was easier than she’d thought.

Standing unattended, still attached to the hitch rail, where Festus had hurriedly tied him, was Ruth, his mule. Festus had meant to take him down to the stable and put him up, but as he was covering for Matt, he’d let his mule stay where he was while he went to handle a fight at the Lady Gay.

Though Amanda wasn’t much a rider and even had a mild allergy to horses, she decided to take her chances. Lee was riding into danger and as his partner, she couldn’t let him do it without her. US Marshal Matt Dillon by his side notwithstanding. She was Lee’s partner and she was going with him.

Taking a careful look up and down the street and seeing neither Festus nor anyone else who might stop her, Amanda hauled herself up into the saddle, turned the mule in the direction Lee and Matt had taken, and rode.

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

Amanda held on tightly to the reins of the loping animal she was atop, praying heavily she wouldn’t fall off and resisting the urge to cry out each time she came close to it. So far, Lee and the Marshal did not know she was behind them, and she wanted to keep it that way. But as each mile passed, she was beginning to fear that was exactly what would happen.

When Lee and Matt finally slowed, Amanda was none too slow in pulling her own mount to a stop and hastily dismounting. “There’s a reason I have an allergy to horses and mules.” She whispered to herself, as she pulled the recalcitrant animal behind her to cover. “I hate riding them.”

Not knowing that Amanda was behind them, Lee and Matt found some huge boulders to hide behind and settled down to wait. They didn’t have to wait long.

Only moments passed before they heard the creak of wagon wheels and saw an army supply wagon slowly make it way towards them. When the wagon finally came abreast of them, Matt and Lee exchanged “I knew it” glances as they recognized the supply sergeant out at the fort, Abe Logan.

Keeping their presence secret, they continued to wait until they saw two riders approaching from the west. One, a black haired man with a scar on his cheek and an irritated frown on his sun darkened skin, was apparently unhappy with his riding partner.

The other man, greasy blond hair and grizzled, bearded face, seemed to be no more pleased than his companion. “I told ya they was locked up tight when I left.” He could be heard saying as they approached. “That one were near dead. I know’d she was. I’m a good shot.”

Lee glanced over at the rigid expression on Matt’s face and understood the emotions currently coursing through him. Silently he reached over and placed a steadying hand on Matt’s arm. Matt looked down at the hand, then over to Lee, giving him a slight nod. Lee returned the nod and braced himself for the confrontation soon to come.

When the men reined in, Logan greeted them as old friends. “Hey Saldez, good to see ya, Compadre.”

“Logan.” Saldez returned. “Jew got de rifles?”

“Shore do.” Logan answered as he jerked a thumb to the back of the wagon. “Only got three crates though. Dillon and some other man was out at the fort yesterdee. Made the captain suspicious so he clamped down on things a while. I already had these out of there or I’d a not got ‘em.”

Saldez turned an angry glare at the other man before turning back to Logan. “I see to that lawman later.” He snarled. “But now I see to dem.” He pointed at the crates.

That was what Matt and Lee were waiting for. With little more than a nod between them, both men rose, guns drawn and pointed at the three men. “Alright, hold it!” Matt demanded taking a steady grip of the rifle in his hand.

For a moment everyone froze. But all too quickly, it all broke loose. With a cry of “HAH!” Hayworth viciously spurred his horse and leaped forward towards Matt and Lee. Saldez jerked his horse in the opposite direction and took off at a clip. Logan seeing an opportunity for escape, frantically pulled on the reins still in his hand and turned his wagon, trying desperately to head back in the direction from which he came.

As Hayworth madly rode towards him, Matt took a leap to the side and brought his rifle up. Using it as a club, he whirled and knocked the man from the saddle as he passed. As soon as Hayworth was on the ground, Matt dropped his rifle and grabbed him with his bare hands, intent on beating him to death for shooting Kitty.

Lee started to try and stop him but he saw Saldez rapidly disappearing in the opposite direction and knew he couldn’t let him get away. Jumping atop his horse, Lee raced after the bandit. Pushing the animal beneath him to its limits, Lee finally caught up with Saldez when they reached a flat open stretch of terrain. He knew his smaller mount would not be able to keep pace with the large and powerful gelding Saldez had and decided there was only one course of action available to him.

Letting go of his reins, Lee took a leap and practically landed on Saldez’ horse. Grabbing hold of Saldez, Lee wrested him from the back of the madly racing animal and pulled him to the ground. Once they landed, Saldez sprang back up, intent getting away and willing to kill Lee to do so.

While Matt and Lee were occupied with subduing Hayworth and Saldez, Logan was smiling, thinking he was about to get away unscathed. However, he was soon stopped in his tracks as he came around a curve and found Amanda, once again atop the mule, Festus’ rifle in hand and pointed squarely at his chest. “Stop right there.” She demanded.

Matt knew nothing of Amanda being there and cared little about Logan. He had the man that had hurt Kitty and he intended to return the favor. However, with just two punches Hayworth was down for the count and as much as he wanted to, Matt could not bring himself to complete the kill. Something inside of him wouldn’t let him do it. Dumping the unconscious man on the ground, he stood back trying to regain his breath and his composure.

Meanwhile, Saldez was still up and prepared to fight as he moved forward and took a swing at Lee. Lee ducked the punch and twisted to the side, delivering a punch of his own to Saldez’ jaw. Saldez staggered but remained upright, until rapidly punched him again and then once more, knocking him cold. Gasping for air, Lee looked down at the desperado at his feet. “Shoulda never touched Amanda.” He told him.

An hour later, back at the rendezvous sight, Matt leaned against a rock.  He had handed Lee his handgun when he had returned, unable to fully trust himself not to finish what he wanted to.  Now the three would be gun runners were tied up and lying in the back of the wagon and Lee was currently giving Amanda a lecture about her refusal to stay where he told her to stay. Matt could tell the lecture was having little effect on the stubborn brunette as she stood there with her arms crossed firmly in front of her, a defiant expression on her face.

“But, Lee,” Amanda protested. “If I had stayed in Dodge, Logan would have gotten away. Besides, we’re partners. It my job to back you up.”

“You’re… you’re job…?” Lee sputtered. “You could’ve been killed, Amanda.”

“But I wasn’t, Lee.” Amanda’s voice softened as she reached out and grabbed Lee’s hand. “I wasn’t hurt, Lee. But I _was_ here, with you, the way I’m supposed to be. Lee, we’re partners in life as well as our jobs. We’re supposed to be together, in everything. No matter what the circumstances. We’re a part of each other. We belong together.”

Something in what she said, struck Matt and he suddenly understood what Kitty had said many times and what Lee had been talking about on their way to the fort. Just as Lee and Amanda were as one, so was he and Kitty. They too belonged together, they always had.

Suddenly realizing that silence had ensued between his two companions, Matt looked up to see them locked in an embrace. Once again thinking of Kitty, he straightened and cleared his throat. “Uh umm. I think we’d better get these three back to town, before it’s gets too late, don’t you?”

Lee nodded, giving Amanda a kiss before releasing her. “Yeah, I think it’s about time we all went home.” He said.

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

"Come in," Kitty called, at the sound of a knock. "Matt!" She exclaimed when he walked in and swiftly crossed to the bed. Her eyes slowly traveled his body to make sure there were no new injuries or wounds. "You okay? You get them?"

Matt sat down on the bed beside her and immediately claimed her lips with his own before he even tried to speak. Finally he nodded when he pulled back. "I'm fine and we got them, Kitty. They and their army contact are locked up in the jail."

Kitty studied his eyes. "Even the one that shot me?"

Matt shrugged. "What you said stuck with me. I couldn't kill him no matter how badly I wanted to. Besides, I didn't think you'd want your husband in jail for murder. It just wouldn't look good." He looked at her, hoping she got his meaning.

Kitty started to chuckle then stopped, her eyes widening as it dawned on her what Matt had just said. "My… my husb… What!? Matt Dillon, are you… are you asking... me...?"

Matt grinned at her. "I am, Kitty." He reached over and took her hand in his. "I was talking to Lee yesterday and he said some things that made a lot of sense to me. Then I heard Amanda say something about people who were meant to be together, should be together. Well, it got to me to thinking." He dropped his head for a moment, before raising his eyes back to hers. "I know I've been a pretty big fool these last 20 years but…uh… well, I'd like to try and change that. That is… if you'll have me."

Kitty studied his face intently seeing the light of love in his clear blue eyes and understanding that something more than just her being hurt, had worked to bring a change in his way of thinking. "Oh, Matt." She reached for him with her one good arm and pulled him close. "I never thought… I… I… Yes!" She cried. "Yes, Matt. I will marry you."

In the other room, Doc looked up from the paper he was reading and grinned. "It's about time." He sighed with a shake of his head. "It surely is about time."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The morning was bright with just the slightest breeze as Lee and Amanda stood at the stage office and said their goodbyes to Kitty, Matt, Doc and the rest of the people they had met during their brief stay in Dodge.

Amanda reached out and carefully embraced Kitty, mindful of her shoulder for which Kitty was still wearing a sling. "I'm going to miss you." She tearfully told Kitty. "I wish I could stay for your wedding. You're going to make a beautiful bride." She hugged her again as more tears escaped.

Kitty kissed her on the cheek and wiped the tear from Amanda's face. "No need for tears." She smiled. "We can still keep in touch. I have the address you gave me for your home in Virginia and you have mine. And if you ever need me, all you have to do is contact me and I'll be there. You and Lee helped us a great deal."

Amanda shook her head. "You helped us as well." She told her. "I'll never forget you."

As the women embraced, Lee held out his hand to Matt, clasping it firmly. "Marshal, I can't tell you how much I appreciate all you did. Catching Saldez was something I've been trying to do for some time. And you sending that wire back to my boss… well, that meant a lot. It'll make things a whole lot easier for me and Amanda both, when we get back."

Matt shook his head and nodded over to Kitty. "It's me that owes thanks to you. Some of the things you and Amanda both said, about the law and family, made a lot of sense. I'm still a little worried about Kitty's safety, but we'll figure it out."

"You'd better," Doc piped up beside him as he nodded towards Kitty. "I don't want that young lady disappointed after all this time."

As Lee laughed and Matt blushed, Doc stepped over to the ladies and took Amanda's hand. "You take care of yourself." He told her. "Virginia's a little too far for me to easily travel to and check on you."

Amanda reached over and kissed Doc. "Aw, don't worry about me, Doc." She smiled warmly at the wonderful old physician; she had taken such a liking to. "I'll be alright. Besides, seems to me, you have plenty of patients right here in Dodge." She looked over at Kitty, who chuckled ruefully.

"Anybody going on this stage better get on board." They suddenly heard the driver yell.

With final hugs and handshakes, Amanda and Lee boarded the stage and settled down in their seats, waving at their friends until they were out of sight and the stage was racing down the road.

"I'm gonna miss them." Amanda sighed, as she sat back and laid her head on Lee's shoulder.

Wrapping an arm around her, Lee nodded. "Me too. But maybe we can come back sometime and see them. You know when we aren't chasing someone."

"I like that idea, Lee." Amanda smiled as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

"Lee, I know it was a dream, only it wasn't a dream. It was real only it wasn't really real, cause you can't go back in time. But I did go back in time and I met Kitty and Matt and oh, Lee, it was really scary. Not scary like monster scary, because, you know, there are no monsters, but more like danger scary and…"

"A-man-da," Lee tried as patiently as he could. "It wasn't real. You were unconscious for two days. Your mind just took parts of our cover story and melded it with the stuff that you saw at the Boot Hill Museum. But none of it was real. You cannot travel back in time. It is not possible." She had been trying to convince him, since she'd awoken, that she and he had traveled back in time to 1873 and had actually met the historical figures of Dodge City, Kansas.

Amanda dropped her head. She knew what Lee was saying was the most logical explanation for everything, but it had all seemed so real.

"Amanda, look," Lee tried again. "Believe me when I say this. You have been in this hospital bed for two days, unconscious. I have been working with Matt Dillon and the local authorities here to locate and stop Saldez and the men who were helping them. Honest, Amanda. We did not go back in time."

Amanda's head came up. "But was I right? I mean about the names of the men helping Saldez?"

Lee nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, and I'm still not sure how you knew their names but I bet you, if we look hard, we'll find them in a file somewhere. You probably just saw those names and they stuck with you for some reason."

"No, I didn't, Lee." Amanda insisted. "I was there and I met those men. Hayworth was working for Saldez and Logan was stealing rifles for him to sell to the Indians."

Lee took a deep breath, weary of the subject and at a complete loss as to how to convince her. Before she had awakened, the doctor had said she might be a little confused when she finally came around. The doctor was apparently correct.

"Well, I don't know about the Indians," a warm voice said from the doorway, "but from what I hear, the Mexican drug cartel, that Saldez was supplying, will have to start looking for weapons elsewhere from now on."

"Billy!" Lee exclaimed as he saw his boss and friend enter the room. "When'd you get in?"

"Just a little while ago." Billy told him. "A very nice man by the name of Matt Dillon picked me up at the airport and explained everything to me. I was headed to California for a conference anyway, so I thought I'd stop by here and check on you." He smiled at her as he approached the bed. Although Billy would never admit it, Lee and Amanda were very special to him.

Billy took Amanda's hand when he reached her side and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Mr. Dillon seemed pretty worried about you."

"Aw, I'm alright, now, Sir." Amanda said softly. "Just a little concussion. The doctor said I can get out of here tomorrow morning."

Billy nodded. "Mr. Dillon told me that too." He turned towards Lee. "He also told me that you and he found Saldez and his cohorts and took them down this morning."

Lee nodded. "Yeah, we did. They were holed up east of town at some place called..."

"Benson's Crossing." Amanda supplied.

Lee glanced at her but continued. "We got them this morning at…."

"At ten am." Amanda said with certainty.

Lee started to ask how she knew the time and place when he hadn't told her, but quickly changed his mind. He didn't want to know. Looking back over at Billy, he just shook his head. "Yeah, at ten am."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that." Billy said as he looked back down at Amanda. "I'm glad it wasn't any worse for you than it was, Amanda. From what I understand about this Saldez' fellow, that car crash probably saved your life. He's got more hanging over his head then just illegal gun sales. From what Mr. Dillon was telling me, he's also suspected in several murders, drug trafficking and more."

"Yeah," Lee agreed. "He's a bad actor that's for sure. But we got him and he and his buddies will be going to prison for some time. And tomorrow, we'll be going home."

"Uh, do we have to?" Amanda asked as a sudden thought came to her. "I mean right away?"

Lee gave her a confused glance. "I thought you'd want to get back, Amanda. I know your family's due back in from their trip in a couple of days and you said you wanted to be home before they got there."

"I do, Lee." Amanda told him. "But I want to go back to that museum one more time, before we do." She saw the look in Lee's eye's and knew he was going to protest but she raised her hand. "Aw, look, Lee. It won't take that long, I promise. But I just need to see something. Please?"

Lee took a deeper breath and shook his head. "Alright, alright. We'll go there before he head to the airport." Turning to Billy he gave him a half smile. "Want to go with us, Billy?"

Billy shook his head. "Sorry, but I can't. Like I said, I'm on my way to California. My flight leaves in a few hours."

"Well, then I guess it'll be just you and me, Amanda." Lee turned his smile on her, making her blush.

"It's a date, Scarecrow." She grinned.

**MKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMKMKSMK**

The next morning, as soon as Amanda was released from the hospital, Lee drove them back to the Boot Hill Museum. Helping her out of the car, he paused for a minute and took her hand. "Amanda," he stopped, not sure how to say just how happy he was that she was alright and there with him. He didn't like to admit, even to himself, about how much she had come to mean to him. "I, uh… well, I'm glad you're alright." He finished lamely.

"Thank you," she smiled happily up at him. "Me too." Impulsively grabbing his hand she began heading for the entrance. "Now let's go. I didn't really get a chance to see this place, when we were here before, because we were following the bald man. I want to see that dress of Kitty's again and Doc's buggy and maybe they have something of Festus'."

Lee just shook his head with a grin as he followed her inside and bought them two tickets to the museum, show and, this time, the dinner as well. Taking her hand, Lee led them back down the hall to begin the tour that had started the whole thing a few days before.

As they once again walked among the tombstones, Amanda studied the names on each one, a little closer than the last time. She wasn't sure why but somehow she expected to see names she knew. There were none though and oddly, she felt rather happy about that. She hated the thought of Matt or Kitty or Doc or any of the others being dead, even though logic told her they would have to be. It was, after all, over 100 years since they had walked the streets of Dodge City.

As they finally left the cemetery grounds and headed towards the stairs, they heard their names being called. Turning, they saw Matt Dillon, walking towards them. Amanda smiled broadly when she saw him, realizing just how much he looked like his grandfather. "Mr. Dillon!" She exclaimed reaching out a hand for him as he approached.

Matt took her hand happily and then extended the same to Lee. "I heard you two were going to take another tour of the place and I was kinda hoping I could tag along."

"Oh that would be wonderful!" Amanda smiled broadly.

"Yeah, it sure would," Lee agreed. "Maybe you can give us some inside stories."

"Never can tell," Matt answered enigmatically.

Once they reached the buildings lining the replica of Front Street, they entered each store front and really looked at all of the artifacts and pieces.

Matt, as it turned out, was an excellent tour guide, knowing the back stories to many of the items on display. "See that little doll over there?" He pointed to a small china doll, dressed in blue satin with a matching bonnet and reticule. "That doll belonged to a little girl named Mary Baines. My grandmother had it made for her cause it matched her own outfit. At one time, Grandma was going to adopt Mary but… well; she ended up not doing so. But she did look out after Mary in every way she could."

"Why didn't she adopt her?" Amanda asked looking at the delicate features of the doll and imagining the little girl that had held her.

"Long story, that one." Matt answered. "Lots of reasons. Grandpa and Doc Adams didn't want her to and society definitely had a problem with a saloon owner raising a child by herself. You see, it was before she married Grandpa. I'm sure there were other, more personal reasons too, but the end result was, Mary was given to a widow woman outside of town who raised her."

Amanda looked down, saddened at what her friend Kitty must've gone through when she had to give the child up.

"Anyway," Matt shrugged, "that is, as we say, that. Come on, I have more to show you."

Following Matt, Lee and Amanda found themselves caught up in the ambiance of the place and the many, many items that swept them both back to the Dodge City that was, a hundred years before. Of course for Amanda, it was sort of like coming back to a place she knew, even if Lee didn't believe her and it was illogical.

"See that thing?" Matt pointed at what looked like a toy horse made out of a log and scrap wood with long ears, one of which stood to attention, and with rockers on the bottom of the piece. "That was made by Festus Hagen. He was a hill man that used to work as my grandpa's deputy as well as a dozen other odd jobs around town. He made that for a set of triplets that were born here in town and adopted by the Roniger family. Their descendants still live around here. Festus called it a 'Rockin' Mule."

Amanda smiled remembering the man and the odd way he had of speaking and squinting one eye. She had liked him.

In another shop, Matt pointed at a crude weapon made out of pipe and string and wood. "Newly O'Brien made that and gave it to my grandmother to defend herself with, when she and he were being held by the Manez gang." He shook his head with a smile. "After Grandpa and Festus rescued them, Grandma gave it back to Newly and told him to keep it because Festus shot a hole in her ceiling at the Long Branch with it. He didn't believe it'd work, see. He was wrong."

Newly. Amanda thought of the quiet, brown eyed young man that was so concerned about not only Kitty but her, a stranger, as well. She had liked him too.

Wending their way through more buildings and sights, Matt finally led them back to the building that housed Kitty's dress and Matt's gun.

For some reason, that Colt handgun, fascinated Lee. Though not too different from many others he'd seen from that era, this one was more somehow. He almost felt as though he'd held it at one time or something, as strange as that seemed.

"Lee, look." Amanda gasped.

"At what?" Lee still had his eye on the Colt handgun that seemed so familiar to him.

"Look at the dress, Lee." Amanda insistently pointed at the clothing displayed in the window.

"What about it?" Lee finally took his eyes off the gun and glanced at the orange satin dress with the hole in the shoulder.

"Do you see that hole?" Amanda's voice had dropped to a whisper. "It wasn't there when we were here last week, Lee. That dress didn't have any holes in it at all. But it does now and that hole is in the shoulder Kitty was shot in."

Lee's eyes narrowed as he took a step closer to the glass surrounding the dress. The hole was ragged and slightly colored a dark brown around the edges. "Well, maybe they had rats or something." Lee shrugged. He barely remembered the dress from their last visit and had no idea if it had a hole in it or not.

"No, Lee, it wasn't rats. That's the dress Kitty was wearing when Hayworth shot her." Amanda insisted.

"Well, I don't remember the name of the man who did it," Matt spoke up beside her, "but you're right about where the hole came from. My grandmother and a friend of hers were kidnapped once by some gun runners. Grandma was shot in the shoulder when she tried to escape. That brown stain around the edges is her blood."

Though a little taken aback by that, Lee stubbornly refused to believe what Amanda was saying. It didn't make sense, and wasn't possible. "You must've just read that somewhere, Amanda."

Amanda shook her head, not even bothering to argue. She knew it'd do no good. Instead she walked around the room, looking at the others items shown. Sam's vest was still in its same spot and she smiled, remembering the tall, mustachioed, friendly man that had worn it.

Looking around at posted pictures of the town and some of its citizens as well as some of their belongings, she almost missed it.

In one small case off to the side, were several small books. Two diaries, a ledger from the Long Branch and one from Mr. Jonas' store. He'd been another nice man, she reflected. There was also a bible or two.

Then she saw it, lying flat and opened to a page close to the middle. It was an address book, obviously from the 1800's. Getting as close as she could through the glass protecting it, her heart raced when she read the names and addresses on the page.

There on the right hand side, at the top of the page, written in bold yet feminine handwriting was, _'Amanda & Lee, 4247 Maplewood Drive, Arlington VA.' _

"Oh my gosh!" Amanda exclaimed. "Lee, Lee! Look!" She pointed to the address book with both happiness and wonder on her face.

Lee, who had returned to his study of the handgun, walked up beside her and looked down at the entry in the book. For several seconds he said nothing. He couldn't think of anything to say. Surely that couldn't be. Looking over at Matt, he jerked a thumb at the book. "Wh…who did that belong to?" He asked in a quiet voice, his mouth suddenly dry.

"That was my grandmother's." Matt smiled genially at him and Amanda. "It was her own personal address book. She kept the names and addresses of people around the country, that she liked to keep in touch with, in there."

Lee took another glance at the book then over at the "I told you so" look on Amanda's face. "But… but that's not possible." Lee swallowed hard. "Is it?"

Matt grinned and shrugged. "You never can tell, by golly. You never can tell."

The End

**Author's note: I have referenced several Gunsmoke episodes in this chapter, and if you are ever so inclined to watch them, you won't be disappointed. The list of episodes is at the bottom.**

**Gunsmoke episodes referenced are: Baker's Dozen 1967, The Foundling 1974, The Pillagers 1967**


End file.
